Lighter torch assembly for a heater of the vapor generating type



Feb. 12, 1957 J. L. BREESE w LIGHTER TORCH ASSEMBLY FOR A HEATER OF THEVAPOR GENERATING TYPE Filed Aug. 25. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l JzmesZ.Breese lnvenzor Feb. 12, 1957 J. L. BREESE LIGHTER TORCH ASSEMBLY F ORA HEATER OF THE VAPOR GENERATING TYPE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug 25,1954 Ii 2 0977207- fam'eiiBreese Feb; 12, 1957 J. L. BREESE,

LIGHTER TORCHASSEMBLY FOR A HEATER 05' THE VAPORGENERATING TYPEFiledAug. 25, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jfzforkeys LIGHTER TORCH ASSEMBLYFOR A HEATER OF VAPOR GENERATING TYPE James L. Breese, Santa Fe, N.Mex., assignor to Breese Burners, Inc., Santa Fe, N. Mex., a corporationof Delaware Application August 25, 1954, Serial No. 452,075

3 Claims. (Cl. 158-10) My invention relates to an improvement in lightertorch assemblies in blow torches or burners.

A major purpose is to provide a flexible lighter torch assemblyelfective to protect the hand when the lighter torch is inserted in theair tube of the preheater, and adapted thereafter to initiate combustionwithin such tube.

Another purpose is to provide such a torch in which the flame deliverymay be readily adjusted.

Another purpose of the present invention is the provision of a lightingassembly for burners of the vapor generating type wherein a manuallyactuated lighter torch is employed to both ignite the combustiblemixture and to regulate the combustion thereafter.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of thespecification and claims.

1 illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of an embodiment of my invention, withparts broken away and parts in section;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2, on a somewhat enlargedscale;

Figure 4 is a section on a still further enlarged scale, on the line 4-4of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section, on an enlarged scale, on the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 5, with parts omitted;

Figure 7 is a detail; and

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A generally indicates a base in the form of afuel tank. The base may include a circumferential and generallycylindrical side wall 1, a bottom wall 2, and a top wall 3, the top wallbeing shown as upwardly domed, as in Figures 1 and 3, and having a flatinner portion 4 connected to the domed portion by a circumferentialcylindrical wall portion 5. The flat top portion 4- is centrallyapertured as at 6.

Mounted upon the base thus formed is a burner assembly generallyindicated as B. It includes a horizontally axised, generally cylindricalshroud side wall 10 within which 1 illustrate a generally verticallyaxised fitting or tube 11 having a side branch outlet 12, an aperturedtop wall 13, and an outwardly extending flange 14 in the bot tomthereof. The side wall 10 is apertured as at 15 to permit the lowerflange 16 of the passage member 11 to extend therethrough. The interiorof the base A is in communication, through the member 11 and the sidebranch 12, with a burner pot generally indicated at 29. The burner potis in the form of a circumferential wall provided with a plurality ofprimary air inlets 21, circumferentially spaced thereabout, and locatedat various distances from the ends of the pot. The pot has an inner endwall 22 with a central aperture through which the flanged end of themember 12 extends. Thus the interior inited States Patentof the burnerpot is positioned to receive vaporized fuel generated in and rising fromthe base or tank A in the direction of the arrows of Figure 3. The pot20 is also provided with secondary air inlets 23 arranged adjacent theend of the pot. The pot may be outwardly flanged at its end, as at 24,and an outer closure ring 25 is provided which partially closes the endof the pot and serves as a circumferential baffle. The ring or endclosure 25 is centrally apertured, as at 26, the aperture beingsurrounded by a tubular structure 27 having a circumferentialreinforcing or stiifening flange 28 and a plurality of inlets 29 throughwhich outside atmospheric air may inwardly flow.

Adjacent the opposite end of the circumferential wall 10 of the burnerunit B, I position an intermediate partition 30 having a support 31through which a motor shaft 33 extends from the motor 32. The motorshaft carries a suitable fan structure generally indicated at 34. Itwill be understood that, in response to rotation of the motor 32, thefan 34 is rotated, and draws air upwardly through an aperture 35 in alower portion of the Wall 10. Thus air is drawn from outside the housingor wall 10, is directed through the central aperture of the intermediatepartition 30, and is delivered about the pot side wall 20, entering theinterior of the pot through the primary air inlet apertures 21 and thesecondary air inlet apertures 23. The outer end of the motor 32 may besupported in any suitable end partition or closure 36. 37 is anysuitable switch assembly, including the manually operable switch handleor actuating element 38. 39 is a suitable flexible cord ending in anysuitable plug 40 which may be connected to any suitable source of supplyof electric current.

It will be understood that a suitable supply of volatile liquid fuel ispoured into the base or tank A, as shown at 50 in Figure l. I mayprovide a removable filling cap 70. During the operation of the burnerthe liquid fuel is vaporized by an initial combustion in the tank A, andthe vaporized fuel, with some air, but forming a rich and not fullycombustible mixture, flows through the fitting 11, 12, into the interiorof the burner pot 20. It there receives air through the primary inlets21 and through the secondary inlets 23, and burns at and beyond theflame discharge tube 27.

To vaporize and ignite the fuel, and to control the delivery of thevaporized fuel to the interior of the burner pot, I provide thefollowing lighter torch assembly: 51 indicates a fixed air inlet tube,open at top and bottom and slotted along the sides, as at 52. It extendsdownwardly through the flange 13, and has an upper air inlet 53. It willbe understood that air delivered by the fan 34 may pass through the airinlet 53, and flow downwardly through the tube 51 and outwardly throughthe slots 52, into the interior of the tank A. 54 indicates a cleanerrod with an outside handle or loop 55 and a bottom loop 56 surroundingthe exterior of the tube 51. I removably insert into the tube 51 thetorch structure generally shown in Figure 7. It includes an upperfitting 66 which, as shown in Figure 5, is rotatably received in theupper end of the air tube 51. A downward extension or red 61 flexiblycarries any suitable torch member 62, shown as a coil of wire 63surrounding a wick 64. The torch fitting, as a whole, is supported atits upper end by a closure flange 65 which, in use, rests upon the upperedge of the top end of the tube 51. It may be rotated, for example, byany suitable exterior handle 66. It includes a valve or shutter portion67 cut away as at 68, whereby, when the torch fitting is rotated, themember 67 varies the effective cross-section of the aperture 53 throughwhich air from the fan 34 passes into the interior of the tube 51. Thetop closure flange 65 prevents the outward escape of air from the end ofthe tube 51. Any suitable flame inspection aperture may be provided.

It Will'be realizedthat, whereas, Ihave described and illustrated apractical and Operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made inthe size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing fromthe spirit of my invention as defined in the following claims.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

I illustrate herein a general burner of the type in which a substantialsupply of liquid fuel may be carried by the base or tank A. In order togenerate the initial vaporized fuel or. fuel mixture I supply airdownwardly through the air tube 51'and about the torch structure 62. In

response to the heat of combustion of the torch 62, the

liquid fuel of the body 54) is vaporized and flows upwardly andoutwardlyin the direction of the arrowsof Figure 3; intothe interior ofthe burnerpot When the plug 40 is plugged into any suitable electric supply systemthe motor 3'2'is energized, and delivers air about the exterior of thepot 20"and through the. primary and secondary air inlets 21 and 23. Theresult is to mix with the rich mixture ofvapo'rized fuel a supply of aireffective to produce a readily and completely combustible mixture. Inresponse to the delivery of air by the fan 34 the mixture, burning inthe bumer pot 20, is delivered as a directed flame through and wellbeyond .the end of the sleeve 27. Atmospheric air is drawn inwardlythrough the apertures 29, and the combustion is. substantially complete,with a minimum wastage or production of free carbon.

Ininitiatingjthe operation of the burner, the operator normally wouldnot put the lighted torch into the container when the air pressure isoperating. On the contrary, the ignited torch isfirst insertedlinto thecontainer,

' withthe torch portion'in the tube 51, and the generation of vaporizedfuel begins. Thereafter, the motor can be energized, forexample, by theswitch 38, and thefrich mixture generated in the tank A and deliveredto'the interior'of the burner pot receives an adequate air supply,

and is'blown out frorn'the tube'27 as a blow torch 4 the upperend' ofthe air'duc't. When combustion is initiated into the fuel tank the capcarried by the torch is then moved into closing relation to the upperportion of the air duct. This is accomplished as the torch assembly ismoved downwardly throughthe air duct.

I claim:

1. A lighter torch assembly for use with a' heater of the vapor.generating type, said assembly including a generally upright air ductadapted to extend through a burner housing andinto' a fuel receptacle,said duct having an open upper end, an aperture'in the upper portion ofthe duct to admit air to the itnerior of the duct, an elongated memberh'aving'ahandle at the upper end thereof and a wick carried at the lowerend thereof, said member being removably mounted in said'air duct, saidair duct having a flame and air outlet aperture in the lower portionthereof, a shutter carried by the upper end of said member and movablypositioned by the handle in controlling'relation to saidaperture-insa'idduct to thereby regulate combustionladja'cent thelowerend" of said duct, and a closure forthe open' upperiendof said' air ductoperatively associated'withthe upper end of said member.

2. The structure ofclaim' 1 wherein said shutter and said closure areformed unitarily and said shutter has a partially cylindricalsection,isaid duct having a cylindrical wall adjacent sai'dap'erture andslidablyengaged by said section;

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said wick is flexible with relationto the upper'en'd'of said member 'so as to allowm'ovement of theupperportion of said member laterally to one side'of'said airduct'during insertionof said wick insai'dduct.

Referen'ces Cited' in the file of this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS359,272: Miller- Mar. 15, 1887 611,949 Smith Oct. 4, 1898 1,701,727 fPhilips- Feb. 12, 1929 2,396,821 Breese Mar. 19, 1946 2,410,478 BreeseNov. 5, 1946 2,508,889 Richardson May 23, 1950 2,671,506 Brevard Mar. 9,1954

